If you tuned into Survivor 47, you may recall the beloved Teeny Chirichillo taking hit after hit as they progressed in their rather lackluster Survivor journey, simultaneously opening about some of their struggles with their identity.
Unsure where exactly they fit into today’s society — taking out some of their frustrations with masculinity and gender roles on runner-up Sam Phalen — the fourth place finisher has had a great deal of self-discovery since the show finished filming in the summer of 2023, recently giving a major update to their “ever evolving” identity journey in an exclusive interview with Entertainment Weekly.
According to Teeny, the 24-year-old is finally becoming more confident in themselves, telling reality television reporter Dalton Ross that they now identify as non-binary, using they/them pronouns as opposed to the she/her pronouns that they used throughout Survivor 47.
The New Jersey native also shared that they underwent top surgery earlier this year, which they described as an incredibly “liberating” experience. Teeny gushed:
“I got top surgery in September, so that has been just (no pun intended) a complete weight off my chest. It’s so liberating. It’s something that I’ve wanted for a really long time, and I think it’s given me a new lease on life in many ways. Having a body that I wasn’t always so comfortable in now feel more like home to me is incredible.”
After this transformation, Teeny has shared snaps of their first shirtless swim via social media, as well as the topless outfit that they wore to a Survivor 47 watch party in Los Angeles, California (matching their bestie boo, Sol Yi). Needless to say, we love to see the fan favorite castaway feeling comfortable in their own skin!
Believe it or not, Teeny attributes their top surgery to their Survivor journey, admitting in their exclusive interview, “the fact that I was so open about it out there [in Fiji] kind of allowed me to go into my life and bring that same sort of vulnerability.” The freelance writer continued:
“Some of the things that I talked about on the show were topics and things that I had never spoken about to people in my life. There’s people who I had opened up to, but there’s also people who I hadn’t, so I feel like I got this rare opportunity for everyone in my world to learn who I was while watching me do the thing that they know I’ve loved for so long.”
While Teeny has taken massive strides in their identity journey, they concluded the conversation by stating that they are “still figuring things out” day by day. They elaborated:
“It’s ever evolving for sure, but I can say that I’m still figuring things out, but I am proud to represent the genderqueer, non-binary people out there. I think there’s still a long road ahead for me, and I’m still in a very transitional state with all of it, and to have that sort of snapshot be forever in my Survivor experience is super special. Something I’m super grateful that was included and it’s awesome.”
Regardless, we are so proud of Teeny for being authentically themselves throughout their Survivor journey — tipsiness, tantrums, TikTok terminology, and all — and beyond. To relive said Survivor journey from start to finish, you may stream the entirety of Survivor 47 (as well as previous seasons of the show) as we speak via Paramount Plus.
Additionally, for updates regarding their life beyond the beach, you may connect with Teeny on Instagram @teenychill. After all, their content is truly a ten out of ten!